Woodland home dream

A friend posted a link to a Low Impact Woodland Home which caught our imagination. For a long time I've thought that building your own home would make it somehow more of a home, more yours. Maybe it's because of the work I put into my Mustang shaping it into my car with my sweat and busted knuckles. I felt a bit of pride in knowing no one would be happier with the car than I since it was designed just for me in certain ways. So I have a bit of appreciation for what it's like to work on something yourself and make it really yours.

When I first moved to the city I found a place that was actually affordable to me back then because it was really run down. It was a two story, 400 sq foot single unit structure with a 800 sq foot plot. The windows were broken, a chain hung limp around the door and it looked as though people had broken in frequently. It didn't have heat or AC, but I felt maybe I could buy it and swing a few months renting and owning and make the place livable. I day dreamed a lot about it knowing full well I'd never live there. Still the idea that after years of work I could have built a place just as I wanted with my own hands enticed me.

So when I saw the woodland home the old dream came back and my wife and I started day dreaming together. We came up with the plan to make a camp inspired by "Kneller's Happy Camp" (from Wristcutters: A Love Story) and the aforementioned woodland home. Maybe build it out on one of the islands outside Seattle and have art and design classes. There could be multiple buildings all made with the woodland home technique.

The place would be our home completely because it would be made by us and would fit us perfectly. It's just a little dream, but it's ours, made by us with our own hands (err, minds).